Fried pig intestines from Xin Dong Fang at Old Airport Road Food Centre

This stall (#01-112, Old Airport Road Food Centre, 51 Old Airport Road) looked like it just sold ba kwa but they do fried snacks like ngoh hiong, hae cho and deep fried pig intestines! Yes, these were boiled, dipped in a light spiced batter and deep fried briefly for it to form a crisp exterior leaving the insides still tender. This stuff is nice!

Pastrami on rye from Porsena Deli

I said I would come back. It looks like quite a bit has changed with the offerings at Porsena Deli. These guys seem to also be selling pasta which I didn't recall seeing previously. The bread options have been reduced to just rye and the soft white roll (I feel them, I really do) and the "stuff it" option has been taken off the menu. But they were still willing to offer extra meat for $3 (it was $2 previously) so here's their pastrami on rye. 

You know what?  This was pretty good. I enjoyed this more than the ones from Sacha & Sons. The pastrami was more tender, less dry and the bread was also more buttery.

Gyutan negishio ramen from Sandaime Bunji

Yes, we headed back to Sandaime Bunji for lunch again as we were in the vicinity. And because we didn't get any tongue action the last time round, here's a bowl of their gyutan negishio ramen. For a shop that wasn't exactly a ramen-ya, I thought they did a pretty decent bowl. Something warm and comforting even. There was springy noodles for a start, more dimensions going on with the chopped negi with sliced garlic and pepper rather than just pepper in the broth - and the grilled gyutan was just delicious. I liked this better than their black pepper ramen.

Because I sometimes succumb into the seductive embrace of convenience......

...but seriously speaking, these breakfast wraps from McD weren't as bad as I imagined them to be. Sure it's a little too much sodium for what it was and that there wasn't technically anything in it that the they couldn't grab from their existing breakfast menu to pack into a flatbread.

These were much heartier than their sad breakfast rolls. And somehow, they've packed in all the salt, fat and cheesiness that my body craves for and slipped in crisp & grease from the hash brown, gooiness from the cheese, savoury meatiness from the sausage and then eggs. I'm certainly not saying that these are good for anyone, but I'm certainly thinking that it tasted better than decent. And it's probably the closest thing to a breakfast burrito that anyone's getting in this part of the world.

Casa Roma, Bukit Timah Road

Casa Roma (#01-09 Royal Ville, 833 Bukit Timah Road, tel : +65 6464 8509) has been around for the longest time. About two decades to be precise and while I've always wondered about them, I've never really had the chance to drop by since they were easily out of mind from being out of sight. They are one of those restaurants that have been humming along with quiet dignity throughout the years just below the radars and right under our noses. For the most of us that is.

The restaurant provided bread and butter. Hmmm...I don't remember the last time, if at all ever, that we've been given butter in an Italian restaurant. But butter is as good as olive oil with balsamic vinegar to me so I'm not complaining.

The black truffle season has not yet passed by so there was tagliatelle in butter with shaven black truffle. I've always enjoyed that aroma that wafts across the table when plates of these pasta are brought in. That truffle-y aroma. You know how it is often lip serviced that simplicity is good? This would be one of those good things.

We had spaghetti with shaven bottarga and rockets. Again, unsophisticated and delicious.

Casa Roma's tenderloin with Gorgonzola sauce was good. As good as the one at Pasta Brava; crusted with the char, salt & black pepper and then blanketed in the mouth watering stinky cheese sauce. This made us happy.

Tiramisu wasn't so much fun. I would have liked more soaked lady's finger and a softer mascarpone layer, but these were pre-made and refrigerated. Powdered with the cocoa on order so I guess it's probably the best they can do.

Mr Fish, Chinatown Food Centre

Decided to check out this stall (#02-073 Chinatown Food Centre, 335 Smith Street) after reading about them online. The stall is run by an old couple who has been in the business for more than a couple of decades prior to setting up shop in Chinatown. Hence, one can expect old school. And wow, the food was pretty good.

The broth from the fish bee hoon was what could have been described as smooth and rich. As rich as could be without cream and after a few splashes of soy sauce, flavours got more pronounced. What got me was their black bean sauce hor fun. I had initially been just a little apprehensive from appearances, but the taste from the sauce convinced me that these people are the real deal. I haven't had black bean gravy like that for ages. That coupled with that light smoky wok hei. If you're wondering, those shrivelled looking ochre stuff on top are fried fish roe. Not giant cordyceps. They are add ons.

The shop had ran out of the fish collars, oddly named as yu gai (鱼鸡), at half past twelve. I hadn't known that 鱼鸡 was collar meat from the chunky appearances.  There was only belly meat left. I'm happy with that though. Note - go earlier the next time.